Отруєний пояс
Chapter II. The Tide Of Death
Ourplanethasswumintothepoisonbeltofether,andisnowflyingdeeperintoitattherateofsomemillionsofmilesaminute.Ouryoungfriendhasexpressedthecauseofallourtroublesandperplexitiesinasingleword,’poison.’"
Welookedateachotherinamazedsilence.Nocommentseemedtomeetthesituation.
"Thereisamentalinhibitionbywhichsuchsymptomscanbecheckedandcontrolled,"saidChallenger."Icannotexpecttofinditdevelopedinallofyoutothesamepointwhichithasreachedinme,forIsupposethatthestrengthofourdifferentmentalprocessesbearssomeproportiontoeachother.Butnodoubtitisappreciableeveninouryoungfriendhere.AfterthelittleoutburstofhighspiritswhichsoalarmedmydomesticIsatdownandreasonedwithmyself.IputittomyselfthatIhadneverbeforefeltimpelledtobiteanyofmyhousehold.Theimpulsehadthenbeenanabnormalone.InaninstantIperceivedthetruth.Mypulseuponexaminationwastenbeatsabovetheusual,andmyreflexeswereincreased.Icalleduponmyhigherandsanerself,therealG.E.C.,seatedsereneandimpregnablebehindallmeremoleculardisturbance.Isummonedhim,Isay,towatchthefoolishmentaltrickswhichthepoisonwouldplay.IfoundthatIwasindeedthemaster.Icouldrecognizeandcontroladisorderedmind.Itwasaremarkableexhibitionofthevictoryofmindovermatter,foritwasavictoryoverthatparticularformofmatterwhichismostintimatelyconnectedwithmind.Imightalmostsaythatmindwasatfaultandthatpersonalitycontrolledit.
